I have been deeply troubled by the instances of police brutality that have come to light over the past few weeks. As a  non-POC, I have never had to be afraid of the police nor needed to understand the fear of those around me. But as I begin to educate myself, I am horrified by the deeply rooted institutionalized racism present in our police system and our country. Though I am still working on understanding the place for my voice in this time of racial injustice, I find it necessary to share what I have learned so far. This post is dedicated to spreading information on the importance of participating in the Black Lives Matter Movement as well as how to do it safely. I have provided safety tips for protestors, as well as links to alternative methods of participation. I highly encourage everyone to contribute their time and energy to educate themselves about the presence of racism in our society in order to have a more perfect future. If you are another creator, feel free to share a link to this episode on your story to continue the spread of knowledge. 

Throughout history, the significant changes within our society have only been brought about through protesting. This can be seen in events from the Boston Tea Party, the Women's Suffrage Movement, the Civil Rights Movement, to the Stonewall Riots of 1969. We have now entered into one of those critical points of history in the Black Lives Matter Movement. By attending protests, you are showing the world that you are a supporter by adding your body to the others marching through the streets. It is imperative that these movements have a large number of civilians marching, one, as to prove to the government that a large number of people support reform, and two, as to outnumber the police that have been routinely oppressing POC.

If you participate in a protest, please remember to wear non-descript black clothes, comfortable shoes, sunglasses, and a mask. If you have asthma, don't forget your inhaler or any other imperative medications. Bring paper towels soaked in saltwater in case you get sprayed with tear gas. Though it is dangerous to use them to wipe your eyes, lightly dabbing the paper towels on skin inflicted with burns will soothe the pain until you are able to use water to get the particles off of your body. If you have access to water, pour it over your eyes immediately. If you get hit, do your best not to scream because it causes a panic which could become dangerous. 

If you have a significant injury caused by rubber bullets, immediately look for an individual carrying first aid equipment and go to the hospital. Consider carrying a first aid kit with basic supplies for yourself and those in your group. Immediately apply pressure to wounds. If rubber bullet is lodged in the skin, DO NOT remove, this will increase bleeding. DO NOT take any aspirin for pain as it will thin the blood and increase bleeding.

Please protect and help any children participating. Bringing extra masks, gloves, or saltwater soaked paper towels to give to others would also be very helpful. If we all band together, surely it will get better. 

Awareness is very important. Talking to others (especially if they don't share your viewpoint) can be hard and frustrating, but it still makes a difference. If you have kids, please talk to them about what is happening; we don't want this to have to be fought for in future generations. Please also make sure you check your sources before sharing them with others.

Not everyone is able to protest. And with coronavirus still present, some may view it as dangerous. However, if you care about the injustices being committed against people of color please consider educating yourself, signing petitions, donating funds, emailing representatives, posting on your social media, and if you are old enough, VOTING. Below are some resources to help you do your part.

Petitions:

https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd

https://www.change.org/p/andy-beshear-justice-for-breonna-taylor

https://www.change.org/p/justice-for-tony-mcdade

https://www.change.org/p/san-leandro-police-deartment-justice-for-emerald-black

Verified Organizations to Donate to:

https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/nbfn-directory

https://www.gofundme.com/f/georgefloyd

https://mutualaiddisasterrelief.org/donate/

Prompts to Email Representatives:

https://framinghamsource.com/index.php/2020/06/03/letter-contact-your-elected-leaders-tell-them-black-lives-matter/ (this resource was written with the intention of being used by Massachusetts residents, but it can be applied to all states and localities)

https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative (how to find your house representatives)

https://www.usa.gov/local-governments (how to find your local government officials... these are the people who can make the most change in your area!!!)

REGISTER TO VOTE!!!!:

https://www.usa.gov/register-to-vote (works for EVERY state)